Omaha daily bee., 1887-02-25
DO They Mean Business?

Some suspicion Is thrown by our w ASH
ing dispatch of Wednesday upon the
action of the house of representatives on
that day IN adopting Il substitute to the
senate bill, passed several weeks ago,
providing for a limited policy of retalia-
ton towards Canada. There has been a
good deal said, since the senate bill
passed, regarding the influences that
were at work in the house to defeat re-
taliatory legislation. 1t has been reported,
for example, that owing to the financial
connection of the Belmonts with the
Rothschilds, the chairman of the house
committee on foreign affairs, Mr.. Perry
Belmont, was extremely deslrous to avoid
any hostile action that would imperll this
connection, and that his anxiety in the
matter has caused the delay in reaching
a consideration of this subject. 1t has
been charged that he carried his solici-
tude in the matter to the white house,
and is believed to have made an impress
sion there. AT all events, 1t appears to
have become pretty generally understood
that change had taken place in the
views and desires of the president, al
though as to this nothing very definite
could be learned. 1t is fact, however,
that the house foreign affairs COM
mittee, of course at the instance OF
its chairman, appealed to Sccre-
tary Manning for his views regarding
the senate and house bills and asking
suggestions. These were duly given, az
companied by the draft of bill intended
to avoid the antiquities which the secre-
tary thought to exist in the other meas
ures. The communication of Mr.. Man
ming was moderate in language and jul
Gicial in tone, and features of it might
doubtless be regarded as indicating a
disposition to modify the original atti-
tude of the government. But on the
whole it seemed fair and iudicious view
of the situation and its requirements.
The measure adopted by the house as
substitute for the senate bill is in large
part identical with the draft submitted
by Mr.. Manning. 1t provides for abso-
lutte non-intercourse, and is therefore
much more radical than the senate bill
which limited the policy of retaliation to
the vessels OF the British Dominions of
North America. The extreme character
of the house measure is the ground for
suspecting the sincerity OF its promoters.
1t is bolieyed by the republicans gener-
ally according to our dispatch, to have
been framed with the conviction that it
would not be accepted by the senate,
which is understood to adhere firmly
to its own bill as meeting all the
requirements of the situation. In this
event there would be a conference, and
if this failed to agree, as OF course it
would if each house instructed its con.
ferees not to recede from it's action, all
legislation on this subject would fail.
There was some republican opposition to
the bill, on the ground that the senate
measure was adequate. but it received
the full republican vote present on its
passage.
1t is quite possible that the result may
come as apprehended. 1t can hardly fail
to come If the senate refuses to accept
the house measure. But we are not able
to detect in the action of the house f.
deliberate purpose to bring about such
result. The supporters of the substi-
tute talked with apparent fairness and
candor. There was no evidence of in
sincerity in their advocacy of the meas
ure, and while we may agree that for the
existing exigency the senate bill seems to
be all that is required, or ought properly
to be attempted, it must be granted that
there is a wide chance for a difference of
opinion on this point, Our grievance is
certainly very serious one. Under no
circumstances should We continue TO bear
insult and outrages vito no other efforts
for redress than complaints and pro-
tests which are unheeded. But there is
wise limit to policy of retaliation
which even the most powerful nations
may not prudently disregard. The time
is brief in which the present congress
can act finally upon this question, and
the country will know the result IN u
few DAYS.